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Bill Would Halt Army Aircraft Reorganization Plan

NGAUS Washington Report

(Jan. 28, 2014) Legislation introduced Monday by Rep. Joe Wilson, R-S.C., would create a commission to study the appropriate structure of the total Army, just as a similar commission has done for the Air Force.

The bill, H.R. 3930, also would prevent the Army from removing aircraft from the Army National Guard or diminishing its end strength below 350,000.

In a statement, Wilson said the aviation plan would have a “significantly negative impact” on the Guard and the reduced end strength would force out 6,000 soldiers in whom the nation had invested time and money.

Those issues have been the center of an ongoing war of words between the active-component Army and the Army National Guard. The Army wants to remove most of the helicopter fleet from the Guard, including all AH-64 Apache aircraft, and cut the force to 315,000 soldiers.

The Army Guard has fought back and has garnered support in Congress.

“Congressman Wilson’s bill is the right legislation at the right time,” said Pete Duffy, the NGAUS legislative director. “More study is needed before such drastic changes are made to the Army Guard. We trust that the National Guard’s many supporters in the House will agree that the Army’s proposals require greater scrutiny.”

The bill has attracted 16 cosponsors from both sides of the aisle.

NGAUS distributed a Legislative Alert to members today to ask their lawmakers to support the bill. Make your voice heard through the Write to Congress tool on the NGAUS website here.